In 1951, Cecilia Valbuena and Ligia Arismendi Aguirre founded Jardín de la Niña María: An institution created to meet the basic needs of young girls sent by their families from the countryside to the city looking for better study and work opportunities. Almost seven decades later, Jardín de la Niña María keeps on constantly working for our girls’ education.

Since its inception and up until 1992, Jardín de la Niña María welcomed girls from populations hit by conflict and poverty. Then, in 1992, along with Father René Van Hissenhoven, Elvia de Mendoza, and María Helena de Brigard de Henao, Jardín de la Niña María was finally established as a non-profit entity that could provide more students with great experiences and a brighter future.